National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The B.C. government may be looking for input from coastal communities about priorities for their ferry system in the decades to come, but Discovery Island residents want current problems solved sooner rather than later.
Continue reading Quadra Island Residents Want BC Ferries Problems Solved Sooner Rather Than LaterBy Roy L Hales
If the posts in the Tideline are an indication, the October 25 Quadra-Cortes Ferry Advisory Commission (FAC) meeting dealt with a potentially explosive situation. Our Regional Director, Chief Kevin Peacey and former FAC President Paul Ryan were among those who published their views. When the meeting was finally convened in Gorge Hall, one of the BC ferry executives stated the previous meeting (June 7, 2019) had gone off the rails. Committee members subsequently exchanged something like 130 emails. A significant portion of the October 25 meeting was devoted to discussing ways of returning the Quadra-Cortes FAC to normality.
Continue reading Returning the Quadra-Cortes FAC To NormalityThe article that follows was originally published on July 14 and had additional material added July 18, 2019. It is my personal opinion, not necessarily the opinions of the Cortes Radio Society, its’ board, staff, volunteers, or membership.
By Roy L Hales
Regional Director Jim Abram recently accused me of unfairly targeting him, and by extension I would include Director Brenda Leigh, in my posts and radio program. This is a fair question. The legal petitioner’s lawyer claim his clients were “put up to” that frivolous lawsuit, but there is no definitive proof that Abram and/or Leigh were the instigators. Similarly, Director Leigh may have been receiving phone calls and emails from disgruntled Cortes Islanders for the last decade, but this does not prove they warped her ability to carry out her duties. While there are times neither of these two appear to like Director Noba Anderson personally, they are not required to. However they also appear to be continually opposing Anderson as she attempts to carry out her duties as Regional Director of Cortes Island. As Abram and Leigh are the Chair and Vice Chair of the Strathcona Regional District’s four member Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC), can EASC treat Cortes fairly?
Continue reading Can EASC Treat Cortes Fairly?By Roy L Hales
Some progress was made at the June 27 Strathcona Regional District Board Meeting. When the bylaw for Cortes Island’s proposed Hall service tax finally passed, Chair Babchuk announced she wanted to do a happy dance. Cortes Island’s 2019 Advisory Planning Commission has finally been appointed. Frances Guthrie, Mike Manson, Carrie Saxifrage, Sam Mayer, Brittany Baxter, and Kristen Schofield-Sweet have all previously served on the APC. The bylaw for the proposed hall tax passed and, assuming that there are no hold-ups with the Ministry for Municipal Affairs, we are likely to see a referendum this fall, but the SRD has significant Cortes Issues to address.
Continue reading The SRD Has Significant Cortes Issues To Address
